Mara opened her eyes languidly and allowed them to get used to the glimmering azure dimness that lay everywhere around her. It was the Dream Realm again, a magical place accessible only by dreaming. Being a Dream Weaver, she could deliberately enter and manipulate this realm, designing out of its formless substance the most complex scenes possible. Other Weavers floated about her, working on their own creations. In this cosmic space there was no up or down, the scope of wild cosmos swooped in all directions.
She looked at the scene before her eyes as if it were an animated picture. She had built a tranquil grove filled with silver birch trees and lighting bugs on it. On top of one emerald bush a big owl sat silently thinking about daffodils swaying gently in invisible wind. However, Mara felt something disturbing at the edges.
She turned around and saw what caused discomfort: Black swirling vortex worming through boundaries of dreamscape. They were Shadow Wraiths featureless creatures haunting this dimension. Although their numbers were few yet if let loose they can corrupt subconsciousness with nightmares.
Mara’s hands started glowing, dancing threads of shining dream essence into a bright bow and quiver full of arrows. Without immediate action, the Wraiths would consume her creation completely. In quick succession, she took careful aim and shot an arrow straight into the black whirlpool. The point of contact sent out a piercing squeal through the realm as shadowy tendrils whiffed away. She fired off another shot that made the vortex contract further until last whispers of darkness vanished altogether. Mara sighed and they became mist again.
But the Wraiths were becoming more daring. Many Weavers noticed them sneaking around toward the edges, and some even spotted them in other world. If they were left unchallenged, it is only a matter of time before they acquire enough power to attempt an invasion.
As Mara repaired her fragmented dreamscape, an echoing voice caught her ear; “Brilliant shooting as always.”
She turned towards the familiar figure with a grin on her face seeing another Dream Guardian Leora come out from behind one of the trees nearby. Although friends since early childhood, Leora always appeared unexpectedly within Mara’s dreamscape. "You did not escape my notice when you were concealed nearby before."
Leora gave a crooked smile as her innocent eyes shone. “I thought you were managing things quite capably on your own.”
The two friends had found out their skills as teenagers in the same lucid dream. Despite it being rare some of these people showed what they could do by walking around while dreaming. This brought them together, and when they discovered their powers, they never turned back but devoted themselves to the dimension that had brought them together.
Now Mara’ s eyes were earnest as she stared at her oldest friend. “Wraith activities seem to be getting worse. Did anything else come out of your meeting with the Council?”
Leora’s face became stern.” Uh-huh, Yes; there are reports from our scouts about density of darkness at outermost sleep edge; if they get strengthened enough…”
She left off speaking. They both knew this fact . If shadow army broke through into mortal realm, nightmares would roam free across earth; chaos would swallow up the waking world.
Mara’s fists clenched tighter.. “Then we stand united sister,” she declared fighting back tears.“We shall ward off darkness should it threaten our gates!”
Leora squeezed her pal’s shoulder firmly with determination written in her eyes. "But the Council is assembling a legion of dream warriors to safeguard the Frontier, so when the time comes...we will be ready for battle."
Mara was slow to wake up, gradually letting her mind adapt to the gray dawn that penetrated her bedroom. She also lost sight of the vibrant dreamscape as she came round. However, she knew it was only a brief separation. Tonight, she would close her eyes and return to that planetarian shore between universes…and get ready for war.
The dark water was rising. However, she would confront it without fear because she was more than just a dreaming girl.
She was an unbeatable protector.
